Brazil-based Businessman Returns Home with 700 Grammes Cocaine in Stomach

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos a businessman who left the country 35 years ago for Brazil, Ezeokoli Sylva, with a 700 grammes of cocaine buried in his stomach.

According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, the 59-year-old Ezeokoli was arrested last Friday at the E-Arrival Hall of the Lagos airport upon his return from Sao Paulo, Brazil on Ethiopia Airlines flight via Addis Ababa

Babafemi said when the returnee was taken for body scan, the result confirmed that he had foreign objects concealed in his stomach, which made him to be placed under excretion observation during which he excreted 29 wraps of substances weighing 700 grammes that tested positive to cocaine.

In his statement, the suspect was said to have claimed he operates an African store in Brazil where he sells provisions, shoes and clothes, and that he bought the illicit consignment in Sao Paulo to resell in Nigeria with a view to raising substantial capital to boost his business.

Babafemi said in the course of the week in review, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Investigation and General Investigation (DOGI) last Tuesday intercepted two consignments containing cocaine and pentazocine injection going to the United Kingdom via a courier company in Lagos.

While the cocaine weighing 200 grammes was concealed in local fabrics, 40 ampoules of pentazocine injection weighing 110 grammes were hidden in cartons.

In Kano, NDLEA operatives last Thursday arrested three suspects: Jamilu Adamu, 38; Umar Musa, 32; and Bunu Ali, 27, with 2,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 3,135,000 pills exol-5 at Gadar Tamburawa, Zaria Road.

Babafemi also disclosed that no fewer than 2,120 kilogrammes of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis produced in Ghana were intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the Ilesan beach, Lagos last Thursday, adding that a suspect, Onibogi Muftau was arrested in connection with the seizure while four vehicles that were to convey the shipments from the water front were also recovered.

He stated that this came on the heels of the seizure of 472 kilogrammes of the same psychoactive substance at Idi-Iroko, Imeko area of Ogun State last Monday.

He said in Edo State, two suspects: Monday Onyenemue, 60, and Evans Omogiede, 42, were last Thursday arrested and 185.6 kilogrammes cannabis as well as a Toyota Previa bus marked BEN 06XL conveying the consignment were recovered during an intelligence-led raid by NDLEA operatives at Ukuwague street, Benin City.

Babafemi said with the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

Meanwhile, while commending the officers and men of MMIA, DOGI, Lagos, Kano, and Edo Commands if the agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, are well appreciated.